Leta Belle Gorham

The Reverend Dr. Leta Belle Mills Gorham left this life to join the heavenly choir on Thursday, September 5, 2013. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 34 years, Rev. Jack Dean Gorham who passed December 10, 1987

Leta Belle Mills was born August 20, 1935 to ER Mills and Maye Holt Mills in Whitesboro, TX. She married Jack Gorham May 24, 1953 in the Methodist Church of Whitesboro. She and Jack graduated from Southern Methodist university together. After graduation they traveled the world doing mission work with the United Methodist Church. They returned to the States in 1974 and raised their children in the Dallas/Plano area. Leta worked as a social worker until Jack’s death in 1987 when she went back to SMU to get her Masters and Doctorate of Divinity degrees. She worked in southeast Dallas as a minister and urban missionary. Leta decided to return to the mission field and traveled to Nepal and South Korea teaching and preaching the Gospel. Reverend Gorham always had many interesting, insightful, and touching stories of her travels. Her last joyful years were spent attending and serving Faith UMC in Richardson.

Dr. Gorham is survived by her sister, Yvonne Mills of Whitesboro, four children; Philip Gorham, Melanie Gorham, Miriam Carpenter and her husband Travis, and Dr. Elizabeth Bonet. She has seven grandchildren, Kimberly Dunham, Jeremy Chapa, Jaclyn Chapa, Tristan Carpenter, Clay Carpenter, Mia Bonet and Eva Bonet and four great-grandchildren. Survivors also include many friends who called her “Mom” from all over the world, as she took care of people wherever she went.

The family will receive friends for a time of visitation, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Thursday, September 12, at Ted Dickey Funeral Home in Plano. Graveside committal will be 3:00 pm Friday at Oakwood cemetery in Whitesboro. A Celebration of Life Service will be Saturday, the 14th at Plymouth Park UMC, 1615 W airport Freeway, Irving, TX at 3:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Plymouth Park United Methodist Church, 1615 W. Airport Freeway, Irving, TX 75062. Please designate Reverend Gorham in the memo line.